LEZIONE 1:
How do we read english texts?
- we are not native speakers
1. linguistic competence
2. different cultural perspective
3. location
4. time
First step: linguistic signs (grammar, morphology, syntax)
- language as an abstract entity
- rules
- use of the linguistic code (pragmatics)
Second step: extralinguistic criteria (cultural elements
- language simultaneously reflects reality and constructs it to be a certain way
think about the press: when i read a newspaper the POV makes a difference
language involves: acting / interacting / thinking / talking in a proper manner, with proper
terms, in the proper moment - that’s why appropriateness belongs tu politeness studies
(yes, please / no, thank u)
however, english changes according to different factors:
- the reason for communication
- the setting
- the people we are addressing
- whether we’re speaking or writing: differences between a spoken register and 3
written registers (fiction, newspaper, academic prose, poetry, manual etc.)
Language is changed and manipulated by a number of causes:
- time - this has to do with the history of language, years ago language was different
- social groups - level of education
- age of users
- gender - ex: women use a lot of diminutives
varieties of english: british and american are the most known, but there also are australian,
canadian, caribbean, irish, west african etc…
- geographical dialects
- social class
Standard English: the language variety that has been codified in dictionaries and textbooks
Non-standard / Vernacular English: conversation, can be used by fictional characters, but
is generally rare in written english
Idiomatic expressions:
- He’s not my cup of tea - non è il mio tipo
- It’s her bread and butter - è il suo pane quotidiano
